In the past I used to write a blog once a month. Now, occasionally I post new blogs. In my blogs I addressed burning issues. These issues touch on our walk with God and on what is happening in our broken world.
In 2008, Jayson Casper took my course on Islam and the geopolitics of the Middle East at one of the seminaries where I teach on regular basis. At that time, it did not cross my mind that Jayson and his family will end up living in Cairo, Egypt, a city where my family and I lived for fifteen years. Over the years I have appreciated Jayson’s perspective and writings.
Read MoreThere are some frequently asked questions about the Sharia. The article below by the Muslim scholar, Mustafa Akyol, addresses some very important questions about the Sharia.
Read MoreIn the first week of August 2017, I taught my course on Islam and the geopolitics of the Middle East to a group of 9 people in Seattle, WA. I taught the course in five days, eight hours a day. At one point on the fourth day in the course, there was some confusion in our discussion about the length of time that the Israelites were enslaved and in bondage in Egypt before the Exodus.
Read MoreIf someone had asked me the question, “Who is the most successful movie star in the world?” I might have said Angelina Jolie, Hollywood’s highest paid actress. Or I might have said Tom Cruise, an actor and producer. It would never have crossed my mind that the most successful movie star in the world is not an American or a Brit. In reality, the most successful movie star in the world is Indian: Shah Rukh Khan.
Read MoreBefore we moved as a family to Cairo, Egypt, in 1975, we were living in Beirut, Lebanon. One of the cherished memories of our time in Lebanon was studying Bible characters with our team. We studied Old Testament characters such as Abraham, Samson and David, and we studied New Testament characters such as Peter, Paul and Barnabas. My love for the Scriptures went to a deeper level at that time.
Read MoreAs many of you know, this past Palm Sunday, two suicide bombings took place at two Coptic Orthodox churches in Egypt, killing more than 45 people. The word “Coptic” means “Egyptian” in the Greek language.
Read MoreRecently I read a long excerpt from one of Philip Yancey’s books, and it touched me deeply. With his permission, I have included it below. He did express the following caveat: “You’re welcome to use this excerpt in a blog. I have since heard from some people who question the details, since they do not appear in the records of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission. I first read of the story in a Mennonite publication, and they are usually very trustworthy. You should know, though, that its veracity has been questioned.” In spite of this caveat, I think this long excerpt is worth reading, and I like to imagine what would happen if radical grace were practiced today. Would it make a difference in the conflicts in our broken world? Jesus practiced radical grace, and what a difference that made to our human history!
Read MoreHere is a very valuable resource to those who are interested in quickly finding out important dates and events in the Arab Spring from 2010 to 2015. It came from one of the books that I have read in 2016: A Rage For Order, written by Robert Worth. This timeline presents in detail the events of the Arab uprising or Arab Springs and the developments that followed. For some, this timeline is a useful one time read to learn chronologically about the recent history of Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. For others this Timeline is a resource to go back to repeatedly. For quick reference, I have underlined the countries.
Read MoreWhenever I listen to the beautiful music of I did it "My way” by Frank Sinatra or others, I have mixed feelings. I LOVE the TUNE and I can listen to it repeatedly, but as for the lyrics, I wish they were different and focused more on honoring God rather than focusing on our human achievements. The lyrics of "My Way" song is diametrically opposite to the gospel. In the Bible we see abundance of examples of people who at one time had the "My way" attitude and at other times, they did it "God's way."
Read MoreEarly in January 2017, I taught a course at Columbia International University in Columbia, SC. It was quite an experience. I had a relatively small class that included a financier from Wall Street and a man who is aspiring to be pastor, and the rest were missionaries. I was honored to spend eight hours a day for five days in the company of those sharp people. At the end of each day I asked that they share a main insight they gained on that day and an issue they are struggling with or on which they disagree with me. At the end of the week, I requested a longer response addressing how the course impacted their lives and their thinking.
Some people assume that the majority of Muslims in the world live in the Middle East. This is an easy mistake to make since Mecca is in Saudi Arabia, and the famous Al Azhar University/Seminary is in Cairo, Egypt. Mecca is the spiritual capital of Islam since the pilgrimage takes place on an annual basis in that city. Cairo, on the other hand, is the intellectual capital of Islam because of the presence of Al Azhar University/Seminary. Al Azhar Seminary is the most prestigious Muslim seminary in the world. It has been going nonstop for more than one thousand years. Al Azhar has many branches, and the number of students studying at any given time is about 90,000. It is true that the Arab world is the heart of Islam, but most Muslims live in Southeast Asia, in countries such as Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Read MoreA couple of years ago, I presented a different perspective on Christmas in a blog. I developed this perspective in my understanding of the Scriptures as a result of knowing Dr. Kenneth Bailey for years. I first met him in 1965, when he was the professor of New Testament at the seminary in Beirut, Lebanon, where I was a student, and our relationship continued over the years. He went to be with the Lord in May 2016 at the age of 85.
Read MoreIn October 2016, my book Unshackled and Growing: Muslims and Christians on the Journey to Freedom ran out of print. The revised edition is now available on my website for free download. As I spent many hours working on the revised edition, my soul was deeply encouraged and refreshed; no wonder, because the gospel permeates this book. The book is written in user-friendly language to Muslims, and is helpful to Christians who are willing to journey with them. I wrote this book as a recovering legalist, and it is written to people who are tired of a life of legalism trying to please and appease God.
Read MoreI have been a student of political or radical Islam since 1987 when I first started working on my doctorate in Islamics. The dissertation for my doctorate was on Islamic fundamentalism in Egypt which ended up being published as a book with the title The Rumbling Volcano.
Read MoreNabeel Qureshi has just announced that he has advanced stomach cancer. Qureshi is a Christian apologist and best-selling author. He announced on August 29, 2016 that he has been diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer. Qureshi, is a Christian convert from Islam. Below is Nabeel's letter and I am posting it with his permission.
Read MoreSome time ago I addressed in a blog the historical time of Daniel in the Old Testament. I quoted extensively from a book that I read recently with the title An Introduction to the Old Testament written by Longman lll and Dillard. In this blog I want to quote more on the historical background of the two Old Testament prophets, Haggai and Zechariah.
Read MoreIn July 2016, there was an attempted coup in Turkey. With everything going on in our lives in general and this event being a world away, events like this often seem irrelevant or they are just not something you have the time or inclination to understand since they don’t affect you directly. But understanding world events is important, especially this event — it hits a lot closer to home than you realize.
Read MoreRecently I finished reading a textbook with the title An Introduction to the Old Testament written by Longman lll and Dillard. In this book, the authors go into every book of the Old Testament and address: The Bibliographies (such as Commentaries that they recommend), The Genre, The Historical Background, The Literary Analysis, The Theological Message and finally Approaching the New Testament.
Read MoreI was planning to join Barbara for three days in June on a trip to England and Wales to celebrate the 80th birthday of her sister and her family reunion. While Barbara would stay longer with her family, my plan was to travel to Scotland for a ministry opportunity. But due to health reasons, we had to cancel my trip all together, and Barbara will go alone to England and Wales.
Read MoreIn my blog this month I would like to introduce you to a website and to a weekly communiqué that I find very helpful. The website is "Evangelicals For Middle East Understanding" (EMEU). http://emeu.net EMEU is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocacy and peacemaking between the West and the Middle East.
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